Where should we put the Seanad?

Initial reports that the Seanad had to move because of increasing evidence of excessive decrepitude and what one person described as strange noises were countered when the director of the chosen new venue at the Natural Museum or the dead zoo as it is known to many said it would be impossible for him to move all exhibits out in time.

I thought we should open a book for suggestions of alternatives Dublin venues for the Seanad. Indeed why does it have to be in Dublin or Ireland for that matter. Let your mind roam free.

Feel free to post your suggestions and let's see how prophetic they turn out to be:

Here are couple of ideas to start ye off.

1) The Gateway factory off the M1 is still available.

2) Parts of Tullamore's new hospital wing are still vacant I believe and with the staffing cutbacks unlikely to be on-line for some time.

3) Many of the buildings selected for decentralisation are lying idle

4) There are a considerable number of advance factories dotted around the rural landscape.

Standing about gawking isn't a form of helping

I frequented the "Arts" last night and after the bows had been taken, the lights went up, and people started to leave the call went up for a doctor as it seems one of the patrons has lost consciousness or at least was quite unwell. The theatre was still about 60% full at this point and while a couple of people, with one hopes some first responder* training, moved in. The vast majority of the audience simply stood where they were, in the aisles, in the corridors leading to the exits, basically wherever they could get a good look.

It might be news to people (and these were almost all adults I'd give an age or late 30s if not older) but standing about getting in the way while being unable to render any assistance yourself is

a) no help to anyone
b) going to may actively prevent trained people from coming to the assistance of the person in need of help.

So let's all remember if you can't help then either try and find someone who can help or do what you can to get out of the way of those who might be able to assist and are trying to get in. Crowding in to get a good look is of no comfort to someone who comes round from having a weakness or seizure in public to know that several hundred people stood about make sure they had all the details to tell when they got home.


*I think that's American terminology but it fits well enough.

Guardian Blogger gets taken to task

Poor, poor Max. I wonder if he travels through Ireland or drinks some Guinness will he be eligible for the Irish blog Awards next year?

Update: For full disclosure I should say I came across this while having a piece of p.ie for lunch.

Another first for election '08? Senator vs. Senator?

One aspect of 2008 election race which has slipped all our notice is that this time irrespective of whether Obama or Clinton is the nominee for the Democrats that this is going to be the first election in which the candidates are members of the Senate. None of the main candidates of the main parties (McCain, Clinton, Obama) has ever served in a executive position before whether as Governor, President or VP.

It has been said that it is particularly hard for members of the Senate to run and win as they tend to have voting records with which their opponents can bash them over the head with along with a Governor/President/Veep being able to claim exclusive credit for initiative X

I'm going to check it out in more detail but so far I'm back in the 1800s and still no similar race in sight.

Update: back to McKinley in 1896 so far and can't find a Senator vs. Senator contest.

Update further: Yesterday evening I went all the way back and could not find a Presidential general election which was contested by two members of the Senate. So yep this is a first.

President Mary White?

Part 1



Part 2 - you could probably skip the first 20 secs of Padraic White talk.



The quality of the video isn't fantastic I will admit but the content is just priceless. I'm inclined to produce a Mystery Science Theatre 3000 version in short order.

The Manky derby

I have to say that the old style ManU strip really makes one think it is a proper game of footie. Goes to show for me that damage the newer strips with the tassels and sponsor nonsense have robbed the game of some of the

Being a Croydonian and by extension a Londoner I've always viewed the more provincial derbies in the league as something lesser more local contests. The sun on the grass and the colour on display (maybe it was the limited palette that made more of an impression) really made me think for the first time in a while that this was a proper match I was watching. The crowd holding their scarves aloft added to that yesteryear feeling. Not a bad game either.